Come join kindred spirits for fun and peace planning on a Sunday afternoon from 2-4 PM at Simpson House, 4509 Walnut, KCMO. Bring appetizers, if you wish, for the first half-hour of visiting/munching. …

For the next 90 days, beginning tomorrow, I’ll live at FMC (Federal Medical Center) Lexington, in the satellite prison camp for women, adjacent to Lexington’s FMC for men. In December, Judge Matt Whitworth sentenced me to three months in federal prison after Georgia Walker and I had attempted to deliver a loaf of bread and a letter to the commander of Whiteman Air Force base, asking him to stop his troops from piloting lethal drone flights over Afghanistan from within the base. …

Kansas City failed to prove that Henry Stoever had the mens rea (guilty mind, or criminal intent) for conviction of trespass at the new nuclear weapons parts plant in KCMO, a judge ruled Jan. 16. She also said the prosecution did not prove where the property line was. “I have to find you not guilty,” she told a surprised Stoever. …

Kathy Kelly and Georgia Walker came to federal court Wednesday, Nov. 12, for their June 1 protest of remote control of killer drones from Whiteman AFB. Now Kathy and Georgia are putting drones on trial. Join PeaceWorks events in KC Tuesday, Dec. 9, and at court in Jeff City Dec. 10. …

Kathy Kelly (left) and Georgia Walker are arrested June 1 at Whiteman Air Force Base, offering bread and an indictment against drone warfare. The guards took the bread, not the indictment. Photo by Andrew Nelson.

Two folks who crossed a forbidden line came to Municipal Court in Kansas City, Mo., for a hearing Oct. 21. Mark Bartholomew pleaded “guilty” of stepping across the line at KC's new nuke-parts plant, and received a sentence: 40 hours of community service. Henry Stoever pleaded “not guilty,” and got a trial date: Friday, Jan. 16 at 1:30 PM in Courtroom D ... At the rally before the hearing, Mark observed that people say they hope they never have to use the nuclear weapons. He added, “In our investing billions of dollars—plus time, energy towards upgrading and maintaining them—we are saying we are still willing, very willing, to use them.” …

The judge and prosecutor wanted to consider only a line-crossing. Civil resister Georgia Walker and her lawyer wanted to expose the evil of nuclear weapons, the scourge of contaminants from making the weapons. The verdict: guilty of trespass May 31, 2014, at Bannister Federal Complex, the site in Kansas City, Mo., for production of parts for nuclear weapons since 1949. The sentence: A year’s probation. …

Delighted customers, more than 75 local artists, kids a-crafting, and a kaleidoscope of art—what a joy was our UNplaza Art Fair! Held Sept. 20-21 on the verdant grounds of All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in KC, MO, our fair, PeaceWorks’ only annual fundraiser, benefitted the artists and PeaceWorks. …

Creator Spirit, bless this earth. Forgive us for what will happen here. We know it is not your will. We did all we could to stop this course of destruction, and we will continue our work—because Peace Works! Greed has won … for now. The Temple of Doom is erected. They’re cutting ribbons, and as they do, they’re cutting our lifeline to a healthier earth. It promises threats and bullying politics, at best … suffering and death at worst. Today, we can make one more small attempt toward healing—the healing of sunflowers, and our prayers and protests that we plant with them. …

Fifty-five peace activists rallied at the entry road to the new nuclear weapons parts plant in Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 22. Invited dignitaries, indoors, were dedicating the new facility. The activists mourned the “DEADication” of the plant, marching with a cardboard coffin and spreading sunflower seeds to renew the earth from radioactive destruction. They supported three civil resisters who stepped onto the publicly owned property dedicated to producing weapons of mass destruction. …

by Ron Faust

Here lies the building that makes nuclear weapons
And our eyes are glazed over by its enormity
But today’s private dedication might fail to mention
Any consequences that could cause moral discomfort

We hear Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, over, over and over again
As the number one reason for building this plant
But does anyone ask if these are “Good Green Jobs”
Which offer constructive rather than destructive results?

“A zombie apocalypse” is how Gayle June tried to describe the aftermath of the bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 69 years ago. Speaking Aug. 9 at PeaceWorks’ annual observance, June recounted the horrific scene his mother witnessed as she surfaced from an underground factory at ground zero on Aug. 9, 1945. … Commenting on the 69 soundings of a gong, June told the gathering, “You all, with our family, share the hope that Aug. 9, 1945, was the LAST time humankind ever used this insane weapon on itself. Each chime of that gong is for me a cause of celebration, that we’ve gone another year without the use of this terrible weapon.” …

Denial. Despair. Or Defiance. Those are the three options in response to the threat of nuclear weapons, said PeaceWorks-KC board member Jim Hannah on Aug. 10. Recalling the fable of “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” he urged, “Someone has to say, ‘The emperor has no clothes!’” He drew a parallel to nuclear weapons, saying, “I truly believe that one day, not too distant, nuclear weapons will be seen for the incredibly wasteful, ineffective, irrational, and immoral weapons of mass destruction they truly are.” …

We hide our moral discomfort
By saying that it is all about jobs
Rather than looking at the end products
And wondering if our dignity has
Anything to do with our destiny
So that we have invariably linked
The arms race with the human race …

On April 6, PeaceWorks members and others gathered outside Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Mo., to rally against drone warfare. Tamara Severns was unexpectedly arrested for trespassing as she walked toward the Visitor’s Center to use the restroom, which activists had used at other rallies. On Aug. 12, Tamara received word from lawyer Ruth O’Neill of Columbia, Mo., that the case had been dismissed without prejudice. Tamara responded: “Great news!” …

The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) on June 23 unanimously adopted a sweeping new resolution calling for U.S. Participation in International Nuclear Disarmament Forums at the annual USCM meeting in Texas. …

The United States isn’t the only country using armed drones to carry out “extrajudicial executions” that cause the death of innocent civilians. Israel’s use of drones goes back to the 1970s. The country is now a major producer of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and related technology sold to almost 50 countries. …

Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, at their annual meeting in June, lit six candles in memory of victims of consecutive monthly executions from November 2013 to April 2014. Keynote speaker Sean O’Brien said that just as the most dangerous time in war is right before a cease-fire, when countries hurry to grab land or other resources, so we are “witnessing the last gasps of the death penalty in Missouri,” evidenced by the rate of recent executions. …

“How many of you know somebody who’s been in prison 10 years?” asks the speaker. Among the 45 members of the Urban Ranger Corps, age 14-18, only a few hands go up. “I was in for 20 years,” says the speaker. “I was in a conflict. The choices I made in running with ‘friends’ got me locked up for 20 years.” With this opener, the Rangers spend a morning wrestling with conflict resolution ideas. PeaceWorks funds two of these sessions each summer for the Rangers. …

Father Carl Kabat, at 10 a.m. on July 4, splashed paint on the huge entry sign at the National Security Campus, the new facility in KC, Mo., for making parts for nuclear weapons. In a 10:03 a.m. phone call, Kabat said, “This damned plant has got to be closed somehow, some way.” …

On Sunday, June 1, about 60 of us Trifecta Resista participants went to Whiteman Air Force Base to protest drone warfare. Georgia Walker and Kathy Kelly, holding warning tape saying "Caution Peligro" and the brand name "Empire," were arrested for trespass. When asked earlier about crossing the line at the base, with possibly 4-6 months in prison, Kathy replied, “It’s impossible to find actions commensurate with the crimes being committed in wars and preparation for wars. Commensurate actions elude us. But we can each do what we can.” …

I am reliving yesterday, June 1, as our group ... intentionally observed ... two witnesses for justice and peace. … Georgia and Kathy crossed over the line onto military property, after being clearly warned of arrest. … It hasn’t always happened this way. ... At the previous protest, one of our own fell through the cracks of community watch-care. Tamara Severns, who came to do legal witness, had not been present to hear the warning of the guard. … She was arrested unceremoniously, roughly, without warning, and without witnesses. …

Trifecta Resista went to the old Kansas City Plant for making parts for nuclear weapons on May 31. Our demand: comprehensive cleanup of toxins there. Our hope: a nuclear-weapon-free world by 2020. Georgia Walker, a PeaceWorks Board member, and Ethan Hughes of the Possibility Alliance at LaPlata, Mo., were arrested for trespass. Georgia was bailed out late May 31, and Ethan was released on time served June 2. See a video of the action and arrest. Action at the KC NNSA Plant (Trifecta Resista 2014)

About 50 Trifecta Resista activists gathered May 31 at the gate of Fort Leavenworth to call for pardon for Pvt. Chelsea Manning. Deb Van Poolen from Montana, who attended Chelsea’s court-martial last year, said, “Chelsea blew the whistle on war crimes. People in the military need to hear from us: If you want to take a stand to highlight war crimes, we want to support you.” …

The May 30-June 1 Trifecta Resista in and around Kansas City, MO, led the peace-seekers to the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, KS, to call for pardon for Greg Boertje-Obed. He's begun serving a sentence there of about 5 years for his "Transform Now Plowshares" civil resistance at the Y-12 facility in Oak Ridge, TN, that stores uranium for nuclear weapons. …

Bearing witness against remote control of Reaper drones from U.S. military bases, protesters rallied Sunday, April 6, at the entry to Whiteman Air Force Base near Knob Noster, Mo. Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern recalled that President Obama on May 17, 2013, said he wished he could stop drone strikes. “Gimme a break,” said McGovern. “The president could stop the strikes if he had the backbone.” …

PeaceWorks-KC is holding Trifecta Resista to rally on three issues, at three places:
--request for pardon for whistle-blower Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas;
--resistance to nuclear weapons at Bannister Federal Complex in KC, where parts for nuclear weapons were made from 1949 to this year, and where contaminants linger; and
--protest of drone warfare at Whiteman Air Force Base, near Knob Noster, Mo., where predator drones are guided to places including Afghanistan by remote control.
…

Judge Ardie Bland asked nuclear weapon resisters to write (for a sentence) about whether their opposition to nukes would change if another nation were to bomb the U.S., or if Axis nations had used nuclear weapons first in World War II. All nine defendants responded, with various degrees of intensity, NO! …

by Jane Stoever

Posted April 28, 2014

“Our resistance, like your Trifecta Resista, is turning the tide” of public opinion about drone warfare, said Brian Terrell Feb. 21. For protesting drones during the 2012 Trifecta, Brian served six months in a federal prison camp, and he will speak at the 2014 Trifecta. …

Private Chelsea Manning recently wrote a public letter to “share my gratitude for all those … sending your well wishes for my birthday and the Holidays.” Anyone interested in attending rallies to call for a pardon for her should e-mail marxaviano@gmail.com. …

A “reader’s theater” performance—about the Dec. 13 trial and sentencing of nine nuclear-weapon civil resisters—prompted laughter and song from the 60 attendees at the March 9 PeaceWorks-KC Annual Meeting. …

“We are all in jeopardy from nuclear weapons and drones, environmental pollution, punishment for truth-tellers, the lack of life-giving resources for all people,” said Henry Stoever. “We are willing to risk more, to be more alive, to be liberated and free. We are on a journey of love, of growth, of courage, of healing.” …

The new "National Security Campus" in KC, Mo., where employees will make radar devices, fuses, tritium containers, nuclear weapon "triggers," and other parts for nuclear weapons--photo by Chris Zebuyak

Supporters witness on behalf of Chelsea Manning Dec. 15 at the entry to Fort Leavenworth. Photos by Kris Kennon

To mark the 26th birthday of WikiLeaks whistle-blower Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning, supporters gathered Dec. 15 at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where she is serving the beginning of her 35-year sentence. …

By Lu Mountenay

Posted December 26, 2013

No probation, no fine, no community service, no jail time—just essays. Amazing! Nine defendants represented by Henry Stoever, and cheered on by 27 supporters, spoke out in Municipal Court of Kansas City, Mo., about why they had stepped onto property in KC leased to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). …

“What irks me,” said Jay Coghlan, speaking Nov. 6 and 7 in KC and Independence, “is that the city has subsidized the new plant (selling city bonds backed by the federal government), and at the same time, it looks as if the federal government is going to walk away from serious commitment to comprehensive cleanup of the old plant. …

We protesters and the other inmates talked about everything from current events to the cause that brought us to the holding cell. ... I was concerned when I heard some of the women were denied their rights to a phone call. As a woman of ethnicity, I am sensitive to racial issues in our judicial system, and now saw and heard officers committing injustices in front of my eyes. …

And it was a sound of happiness for each other – all the marchers and all the watchers – that we could all come together and acknowledge our basic oneness expressed through the infinite diversity of our humanity, our life styles, our sexuality. …

For the second half of the session, the young men broke into small groups to explore personal values. Introducing a circle process, using a talking piece and a guideline that one person talk at a time, adult facilitators helped create an atmosphere of open and honest sharing. …

Congratulations, Anne Kwon! Anne is the new PeaceWorks-KC Peace Scholar, now serving on the PeaceWorks Board in virtue of receiving the award. Kwon graduated in May from Avila University with a baccalaureate in social work. …

From the colorful, poignant banners to singing, linking arms, and praying, we were reminded that the spirit of nonviolence brings us joy and love even as we protest their antithesis: nuclear weapons. …

With the assembly singing “Open the Door,” written for the occasion, several dozen persons stepped through a door marked “Open the door to a nuclear-weapons-free world,” the rallying call of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. The demonstrators crossed the line from the public road to the facility property. …

PeaceWorks’ third annual trek from the current KC Plant to the plant’s new south KC home memorialized lives sacrificed in the crucible of nuclear weapons production. ... The rainy walk/ride, with 24 participants, captured media attention. …

“Delighted. But disappointed!” is how Henry Stoever described the news that the city had dropped its cases against him and Midge Potts of Springfield, Mo., and they would not have a jury trial June 10 for crossing the line at the new nuclear weapons parts plant site last year. ... Meanwhile, PeaceWorks is gearing up for a line-crossing action July 12-13. …

“The number of nuclear bombs the U.S. makes is going down, but the budget keeps going up,” says Ann Suellentrop. “It’s corporate welfare." She recently lobbied at congressional offices in Washington to seek less funding for nuclear weapons, more for meeting people's needs. …

A revival is stirring among churches that took strong anti-nuclear-weapon positions in the 1980s. In April, Community of Christ's World Conference voted by 78 percent to "join the global voices seeking to halt nuclear weapons production" …

So what! if Question 3 didn’t pass. We did pass in getting it on the ballot in the first place. We did pass in persuading 23 percent of Kansas City to feel the way we do. We did pass in further educating the public about the new plant. We did pass in demonstrating what a grassroots group can do to address the Military-Industrial Complex. Listen to what people had to say after the election. …

Feb. 23 marked the one thousandth day of Bradley Manning’s confinement without trial for exposing truths about war crimes of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. ... Over 70 events took place worldwide, including one at Fort Leavenworth, where Bradley was awaiting transfer to hearings in mid-April and mid-May before his court-martial trial in June. …

Kansas City, Mo., voters received a barrage of negative publicity from the “vote no” camp before the April 2 election, but 23 percent of the voters still said yes to stopping future KC financing for producing parts for nuclear weapons. …

Early this year, Judge Matt Whitworth “had a change of heart” and reduced the probation sentence for Faust. “I’m grateful,” says Faust, “but there also is a vacuous feeling of why we should go through this charade of justice when we saw the trespassing charge as disproportionate to the more serious charge of killing innocent children by using predator drones." …

Donna Hand, a paralegal advocate from Tampa, Fla., since 2010 has helped Bannister Federal Complex employees seek compensation for illnesses related to working at BFC. The payment is hard to come by. BFC houses federal agencies including the Kansas City Plant, where non-nuclear parts have been made for nuclear weapons for 63 years. In this Q&A, Hand comments on her KC advocacy. …

… Citing progress toward cooperation instead of alienation, Akiba reminded his listeners that in 1986, Reagan and Gorbachev almost agreed to eliminate nuclear weapons in the U.S. and Soviet Union. The passing of time is bringing the escalation of reason, Akiba said. “People regard violence as a problem to be solved rather than a contest to be won.” …

Ramsey Clark, left, says at the news conference before the trial, “Drones are singularly cruel because they come out of nowhere, they strike anywhere, and they leave fear which creates hatred everywhere.” Mike Nickells photos

In the first federal trial related to drone warfare, the judge ruled Sept. 10 in Jefferson City, Mo., that two civil resisters were guilty of trespass April 15 at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Defendants Ronald Faust and Brian Terrell on April 15 sought to present to the Whiteman AFB commander an indictment of all involved in drone warfare. The defendants said Sept. 10 they were not guilty of trespass but had simply tried to bring a grievance to a government authority about the drone strikes.

On August 30, 2012, the Kansas City Missouri City Council voted to place the citizen’s initiative on the ballot for April 2, 2013: “Prevention of the City’s Future Financial Involvement in Nuclear Weapons Components Facilities.”

Mark, Ron and I had been summonsed here by the powers after having been apprehended on April 15 at Whiteman Air Force Base. … The God whose words are cast in bronze on the floor of the courthouse rotunda regards the weapons amassed at Whiteman Air Force Base not as resources to be protected by riot police or defended by putting the likes of Mark behind walls, but as swords waiting to be beaten into plowshares. …

One weekend, three rallies, seven arrests for civil resistance. How’s that for ambition? The Midwest Trifecta Resista April 13-15 maxed us out but still wowed us: such great people, such cohesive action.

by Lu Mountenay

I started to have second thoughts--fearful thoughts. Do I really want to do this? … As I faced the line of “peace” officers, I felt my knees go weak. I said a fast and silent prayer for courage. … After our third warning, I was arrested for trespass.

PeaceWorks, Kansas City seeks a world of peace and security for all, both today and for future generations. We are dedicated to:

affirming the worth of all human beings living on this planet

opposing war and militarism and global weapons of mass destruction

abolishing nuclear weapons

promoting non-violent resolutions to conflict

calling for the reordering of federal priorities in support of human needs

co-operating with other groups to help promote a world of common security and human rights

reaching out, speaking out and providing educational materials to the public.

Kris and Lynn Cheatum took time for fun at an AFSC peace-and-justice festival at UMKC in 2008.

In Memoriam

Mary Kristine Cheatum, 5/1/37 - 6/6/10

Lynn Max Cheatum, 8/12/38 - 6/27/12

Lynn Cheatum helped found a committee in 1982 that became PeaceWorks, and Lynn and Kris for many years co-chaired the PeaceWorks Board. They're remembered for their tenacity, their endless hours of peace-and-justice work and witness, their civil resistance, their uncivil conversations, their joy!